The Portland daily press., 1887-10-27

uct Of slave labor would he touch. He was a
ad not sased IN Sy sng saI ,ber m NeW England
lures and scores Of Years after this, ministers Of
the gospel IN this country were diligently search
Ing the Scriptures 10 discover and establish the d.
vine foundations for human seFVltude.
Meanwhile the churches increase, the school
houses multiply, the industries prove their value,
ana The mountain people are led along aud led
up from their ablect poverty and misery 70 the ex
parleuee Of comfort and prosperity. Then ne
and lived % see a rude and vulgar and desplsed
people regenerated aud transformed, saved from
tine dominion OF vice u good morals and gentle
manners, and many Of them converted TO 4 per-
sonal experience OF the grace that IS In Christ.
You may easily now examine the results OF this
IRE and service after the long years have tested
should you go with me to his house you would
cross the PoHte dc Ia chartte BY the way Of this
welleOnsfructed road. When Oberlln proposed
to make this road. % blast the rocks along the
mountain side the people did not see
how i wsuld look as we now DO If he
they would not have been more amazed. They
applied TO hlQ all the deprecatory adisctves IN
ressonpble and visionary slSSsdS he 9S Ssa o on
his mind. Much learning had made him mad
They positively refused 70 sustain him. He was
been a good time for him to have tenderedt
resignation, but the great soldier did not run
because he was needsd. They could
him out, for he knew how o. starve
But II the road were made it would
they said, for chow could we get
which We blast for the road and
This confirmed them that the p
clean gone forever. Such a d.
old paths showed not only tdB
cal studies. but also Capacity
views q at would haltat nothin
he led the way In tolls enterprh
looked on emazed when they
shOveling with his own hands.
and followed him, and another eaI-
him; then score who soon were hfty..
hundred, until by the time they had reacue.. ...
bridge they all believed In i and always hadi
The last man who was converted over 10 the
majority undoubtedly went nome ana told hls
wife that the original idea Of the Improvement
was his own that he had 4 IN mind long before
Oberlin came, and he himself would have pro-
posed i 20 their leader but for the convection that
ministers ought simply 70 preach the gospel and
leave the labor question alone. Perhaps the
AS you enter the home where he was a father
70 this people who were as children 70 him and
against caste, aud his teaching that Il God Is
universal iather this destroys caste and makes
5i,I Dfotnerso9d 4 reality ~ his study 10 rs own
expanded, and from that study you will no longer
look out upon the wilderness and the solitary
place. because they have been made glad by aim.
You will find happy children in good schools and
happy parents ia good Christian homes.
Let me turn now from the Influence Of the life,
TO the life Of the Influence. IL Is not always easy
10 trace the pedigree OF an idea or 10 track in
nuenee. Sometimes We can IN part, for they all
have their parentage, and theirevolutiOn has been
50 direct that we can tell where and when they
were born. seven years after the sOrrOwing peO-
pie idu gathered about the miSsOndryS grave.
two young men Ia this country themselves hav-
ing something Of the prophetic lnstinct-in ac-
qiaintlng themselves with the work Of this mis-
slOnary prophet caught his spirit. and set them
selves to incarnate his ideas aud this methods In
eOnsecrating themselves 10 the work Of education
~ order TO salvation. rhe influence which Ober-
lin never thought TO send so tar had winged t-
self from his mountain tops across the wide sea
70 little village In the new State u Ohio. Then
these young men who found themselves In sym
pathy with his ideas OF brotherhood IFS Obliga-
tlOns and its needs, with his feeling towards he
slave and 70 all who might be upllted, took upon
themselves this moral and spiritual inheritance
and egan the foundations Of seh0Ol which should
bear the name Of Obern and become the repro
dnetiye center Of Ike Ideas and Influences. ! do
not say that there were no Otner Influences. only
that there was this one dominant In spirit a. well
as In name The young college TOOK on this stamp,
a missionary character, sympathy with people Ia
low conditions, radical ideas Ui human brother.
hood, profound convictions Of duty towards the
this Influence, soon from the Professors chair In
his College there came forth q strong man grded
for a great sacrihcal work.
little Missionary society," the embodiment Of
the idea which Oberlln three-score aad ten years
6efo had proclaimed upon the mountains mo
eompllclty with slavery consciously or uncoI-
sciously having adopted the same faith ana spirit
needed leader. From the Influences Of Oberhn
College came Rev. Dr. Whppe to sound the bugle
I'VE will not use the revenues VI unright
eousness to do the WORK of righteousness"
deuce or was providence, thai
with thirty Years Of singular sacrifice this strong
man IN obedience 70 his mind aud heart was work
Ing ont the same ideas which the great missionary
prophet had So clearly held fOith?
an bot now attempting 70 assert heiedity Of
ideas or todeede the precise degree Of historic con
the easier task OF following distinct stream Of
Influence, enc among many which nOw into the
great river OF life With no purpose % measure itI
see the providence. Another evolution from the
same atmosphere Of the same institution brings
10 the American Missionary Association kindred
ideas. kindred faith and kindred spirit In the
Ond corresponding secretary, thus connecting the
history and expanding and deepening the innu-
ence.
Yesterdays annual survey exhibited, as well as
figures may, the work Of the Society now at
W. ". nioae tlah ~ twoseQIe yeats ol history. Is
of Influences TO note that In church work and In
sunday school work, In educational instru. tiOn
aud Industrial training, In teaching those who
have not had the chances for life, how TO think,
how 10 work, how 10 aspire and how to rise, we
mud ourselves, as II working by chart IN the ex-
pahsion % the missionary methods OF this prophet
who gave his life to rescuiug the despised teach
ing them how TO live In the world that now Is.
while they are taught the lessons that shall nc
them for the world 10 come Tie education Of
the schools, the lessons In the establishment OF
good homes, the industries the churches, are
this day.
Already our eyes have seen the coming Of the
glory Of the Lord. Its afOretime degraded people
are rapidly learning 10 work OUT the DEGREES Of
God the blessings Of a Christian civilization.
Among the dark millions OF the South, IN the long
passed-by cabins Of impoverished and Ignorant
mountain people In the heart Of our land, u
our own race, among the loug-wonged
red men and the despised MongOlans the
evolution OF this missionary idea, and the devel-
opments OF this missionary influence are proving
their reproductive and fruitful energy In the sac
rlneial lives Of noble missionaries. men and wO-
men who are themselves often a. dsspised while
they are minlstering to the ignorant and to those
who are lOwly. They also are powers for other
lives, while they are sustained by a ike devotion
to the things that are eternal. AS from this un-
llkeliest mission, hundred years ago the light Of
lie shone out, the Influence Of fidelity 70 con
yieti0ns e0ursing down the centuries showing
what enlightened conservation can achieve; so
now those who are working together with God for
the same divine IDEAS, though they may be hidden
from the worlds praises, may be confident that
God will not forget them, nor fail TO speed their
labors OF love in the Lord.
As we gather here In the interests Of a work so
near TO the heart of Christ like Him we may safe
~ appeal 70 the combinations OF history Ia the
eVOluilUns ot providence for courage now, and
Lord was testifymg TO the reality and power u
the Kingdom Of God ON the earth.
and the faith which souls might have and hOli Ia
working VA u ana la waiting for IL, did He send
lhe min OF people back 90 the days OF the
prophets and righteous men, that they might see
how the work goes on when the Workers die ana
now the Influences Of their lives continue and en-
large IN other lives. so that assurance might take
esh courage % discover itself Ia the historic cur
rent oi an uumistakable divine purpose and in the
evolution Of the dectees Of grace. The eOnslancy
ana compassion Of God In the past are cheering
US, IN that we have only to hold fast the Oegn-
ning Of our Confidence, steadfast unto the end.
we shall not fail, and we need not be discouraged.
Thus, putting on strength. as we recall the care
OF Coo and power ct His TRUTH may not from
lhls nigh place of Christian eOnvoeat0n send out
our sympdthtes to those who have eOnsecrated
themselves To this same prophetic work Oi bring
ing IN the cast.0ut, Of Raising up the cdst-duWh'
ana OF saving those who are out 81 me Wy
Much OF their w,rk Is very kindred NJ iorln anu
feature o. this work ~ Oberins u Is lemete, IN
conditions Of rudcuess, aud IN sepaIauuh Ivlh
Kindred society They are living The truth 1i ha-
man brotherhood They are holding ietth tnat
which is not popular. 1hey are stanui"s WIN
aud for the desplsed.
They may rememcmber thai we bear them In
our hearts aud in our prayers that they nave the
grttefnI recognition oi the churches In their self
1eulals and her0isms. God has accounted them
,yrfhv 10 i've lives that may well rebuke the sell
ashness and sinful ambitions oi those who live for
themselves aud those who seek only high places
me greatness uf Christian service IS Theirs They
can never know where their Influences may 20
nor now IN. Nor until the roll-eail Of eternity Is
made viii u be revealed what great lives they
have lived. and what Christian deeds have he n
wrought by these men and women, Who from MS
have gone out aud away from the worlds vision
In sell abneeation and often iu the worlds sc0rn
are like the prophet Oi the mount lis, patiently